Colin Powell

Born in Harlem to Jamaican immigrant parents, Powell graduated from the City College of New York in 1958 and was commissioned as an Army second lieutenant. He served in the Army for 35 years, including two tours in Vietnam, and attained the rank of four-star general. He earned an MBA from George Washington University in 1971. He became Deputy National Security Advisor in January 1987 and National Security Advisor in November 1987, serving in that role until January 1989. He then served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 1989 to September 1993 and Secretary of State from January 2001 to January 2005. Powell was the first African American to serve as National Security Advisor, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Secretary of State.

Powell’s career spanned military leadership and diplomacy. He was the first African American to serve as National Security Advisor, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Secretary of State, and his chairmanship included a central role in the preparation for and conduct of Operation Desert Storm.